Professional Tree Care Tips: Removing Vines From Your Trees
Vines are harmful to the health of your trees. They compete with the tree for nutrients and moisture from the soil, and their leaves in the tree canopy compete for sunlight. They also encourage tree rot because of the moisture that is held between the vine and tree trunk. Large vines add considerable weight to the tree as well. This makes the tree more prone to falling over when loaded by ice or when stressed by a wind storm.
How To Remove Vines From Your Tree
- Never use herbicides because they will harm the tree.
- Wear gloves, long protective clothing, a hat, and goggles in case there are poison ivy vines on the tree. Poison ivy is common and often hides among other vines.
- Using pruning shears, cut all the vines around the base of the tree. Cut the vines at a height that allows you sufficient grip to pull the rest out of the ground. Use a pruning saw for vines that are too thick for the shears.
- Leave the remainder of the vines that are above the cut, on the tree. These vines are now cut off from their roots and will die. Over time, they will decay and fall off on their own. Do not pull the vines off because this may damage the tree. Pulling on the vines can also dislodge dead limbs and hornet nests.
- Pull the vines out of the ground, removing as much of their roots as possible. Remove other vines from the ground up to a distance of several feet from the base of the tree. This prevents future vine growth on the tree. Watering the ground and letting it soak overnight will soften the soil and allow for easier vine removal. Use a shovel to dig out vines too large for hand removal.
- Avoid burning the vines removed from the ground because some of them may be poison ivy. Breathing smoke from a burning poison ivy plant will cause severe respiratory problems.
Professional Help Makes It Easier
Poison ivy vines can have large trunks that may reach 6 inches (15 cm) in thickness. The help of a professional tree care specialist is recommended for this kind of difficult removal job. They can also help with the removal of vine infestation from multiple trees on your property. For tree care advice and information about our services, you can follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or you can contact us here if you have any questions.
